85th year of manucaturing piston rings in Komárov

The piston rings from the foundry based in Komárov, which are sold under the brand Koma are well known in the whole world.

Piston Rings Komarov s.r.o. (in past known as Buzuluk) is continuing in the tradition of iron works in Komarov. Their focus on manufacturing piston rings is longer than 85 years.

The stock market crash in the USA in the late 1920s spread in the following years across the whole Europe and affected also Komarov ironworks. During this period the head of company tried to find new promising industries, which should prevent the company from its termination due to the economic crisis. One idea how to face the economic crisis was production of piston rings for combustion engines.

In 1931, the first concepts for production of piston rings were designed and subsequently also particular tests of casting and turning. The first forming of particular piston rings into frames, layering and collective casting were first tested in the following year. When all tests were conducted the production of piston rings began in accordance with the patent of a Vienna technician Mr. Stern. The piston rings were first shipped under the brand ALBA. Even though, there was a rapid lay off of employees between 1933 and 1935, the production of piston rings provided job vacancies for company employees and avoided further lay off at the same time. The piston rings production experienced increase in number of sales as the only industry in Komarov ironworks in the period before World War II.

The significance of piston rings reached its top during the war period due to the importance of piston rings for the war machinery. The amount of sales was increasing to 2.4 million pieces of piston rings in 1944 and the first piston rings for airplane engines began to be manufactured in the same year.

Currently, the company Piston Rings Komarov s.r.o. is able to manufacture up to 25 mil. pieces per year.